A major security breach has shocked the Indian defence system. Vishal Yadav, a clerk in the Indian Navy headquarters, has been arrested for leaking confidential military information to a Pakistani handler in exchange for money, including payments made in cryptocurrency.
Yadav, who is from Haryana’s Rewari district, was first contacted by the Pakistani agent on Facebook. The agent used a fake profile with the name “Priya Sharma”. Their chats moved from Facebook to WhatsApp and then to Telegram, a messaging app known for its strong privacy features.
Yadav allegedly shared classified details about Operation Sindoor. This operation is a military operation carried out in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after the Pahalgam terror attack.
Police revealed that Yadav received around ₹2 lakh in total for leaking information. He was paid in small amounts at first (₹5,000–₹6,000) for minor info. Later, as the data got more sensitive, the handler paid him more, including ₹50,000 just for the Operation Sindoor leak. Some payments were made via cryptocurrency, but they have not disclosed which specific cryptocurrency was used in the transactions.
Investigators believe Yadav’s addiction to online gaming may have pushed him to share the secrets in return for money. A forensic check of his phone uncovered chats, financial records, and military data.
The police are continuing the investigation and say they have strong digital evidence against Yadav. His arrest raises serious questions about internal security and the misuse of crypto for espionage.
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